Pirates of the Caribbean: Revised
by Caira1
Summary: It's basically the new movie but Will has a twin sister, Meg. Read and review, this is my first actual story on fanfiction.
1. Default Chapter

Chapter 1  
  
A/N: I know, I know, you may feel free to call me a nut, an idiot, and a complete and utter moron, but whenever I see a good movie, I like to add another character that fits me. With Pirates of the Caribbean: The Curse of the Black Pearl (which is personally one of the best movies I've ever seen, go see it!!!), I pictured that Will (Orlando Bloom *sighs and drools on the carpet*) had a twin sister that Captain Barbossa (Geoffrey Rush) didn't know of. Let's just say she sailed to wherever her brother was a few years after he and Elizabeth (Kiera Knightly) first met. So here you go. If I really don't like where I'm going, or I get reviews telling me it absolutely sucks, I'll stop. Until then.  
  
"Will, stop pacing!"  
  
My brother looked up, his dark brown eyes shining in anticipation and worry. "I can't help it. She does that to me every time I think of her."  
  
I sighed and faced him square on. "You know, if you're going to be a coward about all this 'I love her' crap, I'll tell her for you. She's my best friend, after all."  
  
He gripped my shoulders. "Don't you dare. I don't want her thinking I'm some love-sick swain who drools on her shoes."  
  
"You ARE a love-sick swain who drools on her shoes," I pointed out. "If she can't see the big ol' hearts in your eyes, no one can. But I do. Just like the time-"  
  
"Lobsters don't count as lovers, Meg," he said quickly, smiling.  
  
"You kissed that thing until the salt rubbed the skin off your lips. Don't think I don't remember. Mother was laughing so hard she fell off the front steps."  
  
He grinned at the memory. "Yeah, I remember," he said, spacing out again with memories of our dear mother. I studied him. People are right. We do look like twins, which is the entire purpose since we are twins. My hair is Mother's dark brown, unlike Will's regular brown. But we have the same big, deep liquidy brown eyes, the same chin, the same nose, the same heart- shaped face. I like that.  
  
"Did you finish polishing the sword blade yet?" I teased. His face paled.  
  
"SHIT," he whispered, turning and stampeding downstairs to the smithy. Mr. Brown is kind enough to let us live above the blacksmithery. Will and I both work there, he as the blacksmith and I as the leathersmith. He makes swords and handles, and I make sheaths and cords. Mr. Brown appreciates both of our skills. Lazy jackass. He sleeps almost twenty hours a day. We do all the work; he gets all the credit. It's a complete and total crapshoot, and my blood boils every time I think about it.  
  
"Will, I was joking!" I yelled, walking quickly down the winding staircase. "You've polished that thing enough as it is."  
  
"I missed a spot!"  
  
"Who cares?"  
  
"I do! What if Elizabeth sees it?"  
  
"I highly doubt it! She doesn't know the difference between a blade and a handle."  
  
"She knows when something looks good."  
  
I rolled my eyes upward. "Suit yourself." I jumped into the dirt pit and scratched the old donkey behind the ears. He brayed quietly in greetings.  
  
"Don't do that, I need to concentrate."  
  
"What's to concentrate on? You wipe a rag on metal over and over and over! I could teach a two-year-old to do it better than you in a roomful of braying donkeys."  
  
Will frowned and ignored me, concentrating on a single spot on the silver blade. The door slammed open, causing Will to drop his precious polishing rag and to curse really loud.  
  
"GOD FUCKIN' DAMMIT CAN'T I EVEN POLISH A FUCKIN' SWORD IN PEACE?" he bellowed, and I winced as the timbers shook at his deep voice. The donkey brayed loudly this time, and Mr. Brown stared at us in the doorway, his hands filled with strong liquor. Will stared at him in horror, his cheeks dark red. "I-I-I'm so sorry, sir," he stammered, moving to help him.  
  
"Don't worry about it, lad," he grunted, moving slowly to his chair in the corner, the bottles clinking merrily in his flabby arms. "You just do what you do and we'll forget about it completely. I don't think a few words will scar you for life, Miss Turner."  
  
I shook my head, my ears still ringing. "I think I'll go check on the wash now." And I ran out the back door with my hand over my mouth to keep from laughing out loud.  
  
"Hello, Margaret."  
  
"It's Meg, and hello to you, too, Elizabeth." From inside, a sword dropped with a clang on the floor.  
  
She smiled at me worryingly. "You know, if you're going outside, you should put up your hair, like I do."  
  
I smiled, fingering my knee-length hair. "But unlike you, I'm not the governor's daughter, so I don't have to set such an example for the common folk like me. Nice dress."  
  
She smoothed out the non-wrinkled blue silk dress and beamed. "Really? Father likes it, too, but I don't think blue's my color, you know."  
  
"Yeah, plum would look so much better," I said.  
  
"Is Will here?" she asked, her eyes glowing.  
  
"Uh." I banged on the door and yelled, "Will, you there?" No answer. We made up this system; he doesn't want her to know he's here. I shrugged. "I guess not."  
  
"Oh," she said, obviously disappointed. "Did you hear that dreadful cursing a few moments ago? I think it was close to your smithy."  
  
"Yeah, I heard it, too," I replied. "My ears are still ringing."  
  
She laughed. I've always liked Elizabeth's laugh; I like to image that's what an angel's laugh would sound like. Of course, I like Elizabeth herself. She has beautiful golden brown hair that when not tied up is very wavy and curly, and brown eyes like us, and very pretty skin. She's very, very beautiful.  
  
"Well, I must be going," she said, giving me a quick, tight embrace. "Take care. Good-bye, my dear friend."  
  
"Bye, Elizabeth," I called, waving until she was out of sight. I pounded on the door. "Come out here, you big pussy."  
  
The shutters flew open above me, and Will leaned out, completely and utterly out of it. "She asked for me," he crooned to himself, grinning like the dolt he is. "She asked for me."  
  
I threw a sponge in his face. "Stop day-dreaming and help me wring out this laundry."  
  
A/N: You like so far? I do. 


	2. Chapter 2

Chapter 2  
  
"Meg? Meg, wake up!"  
  
"Whussit.?"  
  
"Meg, are you awake?"  
  
"I am now," I grumped, sitting up on my elbow. "What do you want?"  
  
"Which suit looks better, the blue or the brown?"  
  
I stared at him in disbelief. "Are you telling me, you woke me up at four in the morning just to tell you which suit looks better?"  
  
He shuffled his feet. "Well.yeah."  
  
"The brown one, now shut up and let me sleep." I turned on my side, trying to fall back asleep. I was vaguely aware that Will hadn't left the room. "What do you want, Will?" I snapped, ready to bite his head off.  
  
"I need you to help me get ready."  
  
"I thought you learned to dress yourself when you were four."  
  
"Not for going to the governor's home."  
  
"Wear a suit and brush your hair and call it good."  
  
"Not helping, Meg."  
  
"Worry about this later in the day."  
  
"They're leaving for the ceremony at ten."  
  
"What ceremony?" Was I forgetting something?  
  
"Captain Norrington? He's stepping up to commodore?"  
  
I leapt out of bed. "Why didn't you tell me this earlier? You filthy pig, I'll kill you when I get back!" I snatched a dress from the bed and hurriedly put it on.  
  
"Meg."  
  
"Why didn't you tell me, Will, you know Elizabeth invited me to go along, why didn't you remind me when you were freaking out about your suit?"  
  
"Meg-"  
  
"Where are my shoes? Will, where are my shoes?"  
  
"MEG."  
  
"WHAT?"  
  
"Slow down. And you put your dress on backward."  
  
I groaned and flopped back on the bed, feeling tense and frustrated. He sat down beside me and put his hand on my arm. "Come on, let me help you," he said gently. I stood up and stripped again, and he buttoned up the back for me. I caught my breath.  
  
"Too tight?" I nodded, unable to speak. "Right.sorry." I nodded again and took a deep breath. He placed my hat atop my head and grinned. "All done."  
  
I sighed. "Will, sit on the bed and let me brush your hair." I grabbed the brush and yanked it thru his messy hair until when I ran my hand thru it, it was soft and smooth and untangled.  
  
"Meg?"  
  
"Hmm?"  
  
"Do you ever think about someone.you know.like I think about Elizabeth?"  
  
"Well, I have no real idea on what you think about her, so I'll have to ignore your question."  
  
"She makes me feel like I can fly," he said dreamily. "She makes me want to be everything and anything. She makes my heart race, my blood boil, and my stomach churn. She makes me want to grab her all the stars in the sky and give them to her forever to signify my love."  
  
"Sounds kinky."  
  
"Sounds wonderful."  
  
"Well, to each his own."  
  
"Well?"  
  
"Well what?"  
  
"Do you like someone like that or not?"  
  
"No, as a matter of fact, I don't. And I'm very pleased to stay that way, thanks." I pulled on the matching ribbon in his hair teasingly. "There. All done."  
  
He smiled at me. "Thanks, Meg."  
  
"Thank me later. If we're walking there we'd better get going. Now."  
  
~*~*~*~*~*~*~*  
  
"Young Turner, this is a very fine sword," Governor Swann crowed after Will's display of its use. I smiled at him; all that practice was good fro something. "Give my compliments to your master."  
  
Will froze for a second. Mr. Brown had nothing to do with creating the sword. It was all Will's work. He pasted a polite smile on his face; I knew it hurt for his skills not to be recognized. "Of course, sir. A man likes being praised for fine work."  
  
Governor nodded, then turned his head at the sound of "Will! Meg!" Elizabeth came downstairs, her new (it must've been new) silk printed dress rustling. Her hair was tied up and tucked in a bun underneath her flat hat. Geez, my hair was braided into tiny briads and twirled up into a bun, and she still looked better. She smiled at my brother, and he absolutely melted.  
  
"Ahhhhh, Elizabeth, you look absolutely beautiful," her father praised, but she never took her eyes off of Will.  
  
"Good morning, Miss Swann," he said softly, his eyes shining.  
  
"Will, how many times must I tell you, call me Elizabeth," she smiled, her eyes alive and sparkling. Those two had the love bug for each other.  
  
Only they didn't know it.  
  
"I had a dream about you," Elizabeth said suddenly. I raised my eyebrows. "About the day we met. Do you still remember?"  
  
"How could I forget?" he replied. My God, he's as soft as a velvet teddy bear with her. And how come I'd never heard of how they met before?  
  
"Um, Elizabeth?" Governor interrupted. "We mustn't be late."  
  
"Oh, right, right," she said, obviously flustered. "Well.come on, Meg. Let's go. Good-bye, Will."  
  
I kissed him quickly on the cheek. "Do I have to remind you to be good?" I whispered in his ear.  
  
"Not a chance," he whispered back. "I need to finish molding my sword blade anyway. Have fun."  
  
We were rushed out the door and into the carriage, with Elizabeth at the window side, looking back at the house at my brother.  
  
"Good-bye.Elizabeth." 


	3. Chapter 3

Chapter 3  
  
The ceremony was long and boring. Extremely long and boring. And very HOT. All the ladies were twittering their fans, but Elizabeth was a machine. Her face was pink and she breathed in short, quick breaths. I had no fan and proceeded to boil like an egg in a pot in the blinding sun.  
  
Finally, the ceremony was done. Elizabeth and I stood in the shade, not very willing to venture near the edge of the wall and into the sun. But then Captain - sorry, Commodore - Norrington wanted to talk with Elizabeth, and dragged her to the edge of the wall. Bored and boiling, I walked over to the left side of the wall and stared dreamily at the Interceptor, the fastest ship in the Caribbean. Two British soldiers were near the wheel -my God, they must be cooked - and a dirty, strangely dressed man in a weird hat. I leaned over more to look closer.  
  
SPLASH!  
  
What the-? I wavered at the edge, my arms waving. I fell back on my butt, breathing hard. The Commodore looked around. I realized Elizabeth wasn't there. "Elizabeth?" he called, looking side-to-side. "Elizabeth?" He looked into the water and froze. "ELIZABETH!"  
  
I ran over to his side. White water still disturbed the water, and I saw a patch of silk sinking to the bottom. I screamed. "ELIZABETH! ELIZABETH!" A soldier grabbed me around the waist and pulled me away before I could jump in. I fought tooth and nail, shrieking.  
  
"It would've been a miracle is she missed the rocks!" another soldier cried. Then I realized I was weeping. I slumped in the soldier's arms and put my hands to my face, my sobs shaking my body.  
  
"Commodore, to the docks!" someone yelled, and with that, the soldier released me and they all ran to the docks. I followed after them, skirting behind trees to stay out of the sun and their range of sight. The two soldiers beside the Interceptor stared at the water, and I realized that the other man was missing.  
  
The water rippled, and I thought I heard a faint boom. The ground shook slightly and it suddenly gray clouds began to whip across the sky. I shivered and ran across the sand to the docks, hiding behind one of the pilings, close enough to hear but not to be seen.  
  
The dirty man's head popped up from the water from where Elizabeth fell, gasping and choking. A dark head was with him. I held my breath as he went under again, all but eclipsed by the weight of her wet dress. I breathed again when he rose up again, this time without her dress. The two soldiers grabbed her arms and hoisted her on the docks. She didn't move, and I choked back a sob. The man snatched a knife from the inside of his boot, then reconsidered and simply ripped off a tight vest thing around her chest and waist. She immediately came back to life, choking and coughing up water. I whispered a prayer of thanks.  
  
"Never would've thought of that," the fat soldier said.  
  
"Obviously you've never been to Singapore," the man replied. Almost immediately, the Commodore and his men were beside her, and her father gathered her in his arms protectively, shielding her from him.  
  
"Rise slowly," Norrington said quietly, his sword beneath the man's chin, and he obliged, his eyes staying on him.  
  
"Commodore," Elizabeth gasped. "Are you going to imprison the man who saved my life?"  
  
Norrington paused, staring at the man, then put his sword back in his sheath. He straightened up again and held out a hand. "Good job, then," he said. The other man looked at him strangely, then also held out his hand. The Commodore gripped his wrist and ripped open his sleeve. He smiled grimly at what he saw. "Associating with the Barbary pirates, aren't we?" he smirked, then shoved it up farther. "Well well well. If it isn't the infamous Jack Sparrow?"  
  
"Captain.Jack Sparrow," he corrected, talking with his hands in such a fruity way that it made me smile. The Commodore was not, however, the least bit amused.  
  
"And where are your loyal pirates?" he asked coldly. "I didn't notice your ship, either."  
  
"I'm in the market," Captain Sparrow said sheepishly. I noticed that he had painted black ochre around his eyes, making them look even more dark and intense. I found myself staring at his face. It was tanned and leathery, but very smooth. His black-brown hair had beads and glass bits and a stick of ivory on the left side, along with other doodads. He seemed very cultured, very professional. I nearly slapped myself. He's a pirate! But he saved Elizabeth, and that's not very pirate-like. I continued watching the scene.  
  
"Where are your accessories?" Norrington asked sharply.  
  
"Oh, right here, sir," the fat soldier said, handing him a bundle of stuff. The other soldier, who was still holding the ripped corset, quickly hid it from view behind his back.  
  
Norrington studied Sparrow's possessions. "A pistol with one bullet," he mused. "A compass that doesn't point north." He pulled the top of his sword from its sheath, and smiled grimly. "I'm surprised it isn't made of wood. You are, without a doubt, the worst pirate I've ever seen."  
  
Jack seemed to take this lightly, but somehow I didn't really think so. Norrington had his hands clapped into chains. Elizabeth whirled in fury.  
  
"This man saved my life," she spat.  
  
"One good deed isn't enough to save a man with lifetime of piracy," Norrington said sternly.  
  
"But apparently it's enough to condemn him," Sparrow piped up, and I smiled. Norrington nodded toward the soldier behind Sparrow, but before either could act, Sparrow raised the chains and brought them above Elizabeth's head and against her neck. She gasped and gripped them, fighting to be let go, and the soldiers aimed their rifles.  
  
"Hold your fire!" Governor cried. "For God's sake, hold your fire!"  
  
"Commodore," Sparrow said loudly. "My possessions?"  
  
Wordlessly, he handed them to Elizabeth, who glared at him with fire in her eyes. If she could've, I think she would've slapped him across the face.  
  
"Elizabeth, if you please?" he said smoothly.  
  
"My name is Miss Turner," she said coldly, but shoved the hat over his bandana on his head anyway. Then she strapped his pouch around his waist and his sword around his trousers.  
  
"Easy on the goods, love," he purred mockingly. She shoved his pistol near his legs and gave him the ultimate death glare. He pulled out his pistol and rested it at her temple. Then I realized I was standing up, in full view, and I ducked back down, my fingers itching to strangle him for threatening my friend.  
  
He muttered something in her ear, then turned her around to face everyone else. "Gentlemen, lady," he said richly. "Today will be the day you will remember as the day you almost caught Captain Jack Sparrow." And with that, he shoved her into them, and her father held her near him again. Sparrow ran and grabbed a rope, kicking the metal wheel and flying into the air to the beam. He swung around on the rope a few times, hanging on for dear life.  
  
"Will someone please shoot him now?" Governor said, exasperated.  
  
"Fire at will!" Norrington shouted, and millions of pops went off, and powder flew. None of them hit Jack Sparrow. He hooked his chain around the rope, and slid down to the dock, immediately running as soon as his feet hit wood. They still shot at him as he ran across the stone bridge into town, and Norrington shouted, "Catch him! Catch him!" The soldiers ran off, their bayonets glinting in the fierce sun. HHHHHGHhhhe's 


	4. Chapter 4

Chapter 4  
  
A/N: Hey, I'm starting to like this so far.  
  
I ran down the beach, careful to skirt the water and remain unseen by the soldiers. As long as Elizabeth was safe, she wasn't a pressing matter on my mind anymore. I ran across the bridge, my skirts bundled up in my arms so I could run as fast as I could. I had to find Will. I had to warn him about Jack Sparrow.  
  
"Watch where you're going, Turner!" an old man barked as I sprinted past him. I put up a hand, and raced around the corner and down the street. My breath was short and my legs hurt, but I only ran harder.  
  
I finally reached the smithy, with the wooden sign with a black hammer on it. I tried to open the door, and it was about a crack open when it violently slammed shut. I took a step backward, then tried to open it again. Wouldn't budge. I threw myself against it. It could've been metal.  
  
"WILL!" I hollered. "LET ME IN!"  
  
No answer, but I heard metal clanking. He must be practicing and couldn't hear me. I banged on the door again and yelled, "Open the door, pig! It's about Elizabeth!" If that didn't get a reaction, nothing would.  
  
No answer.  
  
Mumbling unfriendly words to myself, I stomped around the back. The back door is never locked. I stepped carefully over the garden and around the clothesline. I turned to knob on the door; it swung open. YES. I slipped in and closed the door behind me, turning around and saying, "Will, you-"  
  
I stared. Will stared back. And so did Jack Sparrow.  
  
"You," I spat. "I saw what you did! You threatened Elizabeth!"  
  
He grinned. "I needed to get out somehow, love."  
  
"Meg, go," Will hissed. I shook my head, and in that instant, Sparrow had twisted away from my brother and now held his sword against my neck, his face next to mine from behind.  
  
I sighed. "If I were you, I wouldn't do that," I said nonchalantly.  
  
"And why is that, love?"  
  
"I can sing."  
  
Will groaned. "Seriously, you should let her go. Before she inflicts serious pain."  
  
Sparrow laughed. "Just because she can sing? Come on, boy, what do you take me for, a fool?"  
  
"I do," I piped up.  
  
The sword gained pressure. "I'd hush up if I were you, lassie," he whispered in my ear. "Now why don't you sing for me, and then we'll see if I'll let you go."  
  
I elbowed his ribs, and he grunted. "Solar plex," I said. I stomped on his foot, and he swore loudly. "Instep." I raised a fist and slammed it in his face, and he bellowed. The sword's pressure lessened a great deal. "Neural." And then I elbowed him, HARD, in the groin. "Groin." With a low moan, he dropped the sword and fell to the ground, moaning and clutching. I flipped up the sword with the tip of my foot and held it arched at his throat. He met my eyes. "Sing," I said in a low voice. He closed his eyes and gritted his teeth.  
  
"Told you it hurt," Will said from behind me, a sword in his hand. He delicately pointed it at him. "I suggest as soon as you can stand to leave."  
  
Sparrow grinned meekly from the floor, then in one swift movement, was on his feet again. He slapped me across the face, and I dropped the sword, surprised by his attack. I twirled around and grabbed my own sword from the stand. He barely missed me. We slid across the dirt, our blades clashing against each other hard. Will turned from behind, and Sparrow evaded it quickly, missing my slash attack as well.  
  
He and Sparrow jumped on the two-wheeled wagon, and the ropes snapped, and they balanced on the rickety wheels, blades clanging. I had nothing to do. My hair had fallen out of the bun, and tiny braids fell to my knees. Jack shoved Will off the wagon, and the board hit him under the chin, and he fell. Jack rolled backward, his head hitting the wall. I shoved my sword in his face, nicking part of his short beard. He stared at me, his dark eyes more intense than ever. I felt my knees begin to shake.  
  
"That wasn't very wise of you, lassie," he said in a low voice.  
  
"I make my own decisions," I said back. I twirled around and arched my sword at him again. Then I jumped onto the wagon and waited at the end. He did as expected and jumped on the other end just as I leapt off and Will cut the ropes from above, sending a heavy load of metal to the ground and springing Jack into the air. He and Will clashed from the rafters, then they both jumped down, though Will flipped and Jack did not. Jack must've caught me from behind, because his sword came from nowhere, slashing my hand and sending my sword across the room. Blood spattered across the dirt, but I tried to pay it no heed. I grabbed a still hot sword, fire white at the tip, and we were at it again. The poor donkey, having caught sight of the metal, immediately began moving again. Will caught him from behind, and they continued to meet blade around the machinery.  
  
"Who makes all these?" Jack asked in wonder.  
  
"I do!" Will said. "And I practice with them 3 hours a day."  
  
Jack stared at him, incredulous. "You really need to get yourself a girl, mate," he said, and they ducked around the wheel. "Or perhaps the reason you practice three times a day is because you can't get a girl." He paused. "You aren't missing something, are you?" He stared pointedly.  
  
I clashed from behind. "Watch what you say to my brother, you foul-mouthed bastard!" I shrieked.  
  
"I practice 3 times a day so when I meet a pirate." Will said. "I can kill it!"  
  
There was a sudden loud knock at the door, accompanied by some banging. Jack took advantage of the situation and leapt on the fireplace, grabbing the ash bag and blowing it right in Will's face, blinding him momentarily.  
  
"Will!" I screamed, and ran. Jack caught me beneath the throat again, and he aimed his pistol at Will. They stared at each other for a second.  
  
"You cheated," Will murmured.  
  
"Pirate," he reminded, then clicked his pistol. "This bullet's not for you, mate." There was another pause, then there was flying glass from behind Jack. He stood, dumbfounded for a second, then fell. I eased myself away from him and ran to Will's side, and we stared at Mr. Brown, clutching a broken liquor bottle and looking pleased with himself.  
  
The door blew open, and soldiers streamed in, their shiny bayonets aimed at Jack's unmoving form. Commodore Norrington stepped thru the crowds, and smiled grimly at Mr. Brown. "Thank you, Mr. Brown, for the assistance in the capture of a wanted criminal."  
  
"Just doing my job as a loyal citizen, sir," he slobbered. Will and I exchanged incredulous looks.  
  
Norrington nodded to the rest of us. "You can remember this as the day that Captain Jack Sparrow almost got away. Tie him up." And with one last unconscious moan, he was taken away. 


	5. Chapter 5

Chapter 5  
  
"Owwwww! Will! Easy, easy!"  
  
He securely tied the cloth bandage around my hand and patted it gently. "Will you quit moaning and groaning? I'm done."  
  
"It hurt," I mumbled, flexing my fingers.  
  
Shaking his head, he returned to the bellows, hammering out another blade. I went upstairs and returned with a book and sat down in the chair next to the window, reading to myself. I looked at the back of my hand from time to time; the blood was already seeping thru the bandages. I sighed and closed the book; I couldn't concentrate at all. "Will, could you-"  
  
"Shhhhh," he hissed, suddenly tense and alert. He walked quickly and quietly to the shuttered window, and slowly opened it. There wasn't a sound; everyone was sleeping except us and maybe the soldiers. His expression was grim and undecided, and I gently put a hand on his elbow.  
  
"Will, there's no one there," I said softly.  
  
"Something's wrong," he said quietly. "It's too.quiet. Too peaceful. There aren't even any dogs barking or cat fights."  
  
"Can't we just count ourselves grateful for some quiet without getting all paranoid?" I asked, trying not to lose my patience with his superstitions.  
  
He frowned lightly, thinking. He turned away, but kept the shutters open, just in case he should hear something. Without warning, an explosion went off somewhere, and I gasped as though I had been dipped into melting ice.  
  
"Meg, get down!" Will bellowed. Before I can react, he dives and knocks me over, his body huddled protectively over mine. Another explosion blows thru our window and into the bellows, and sparks fly. Will's body is tense and rigid, and I lift my head from the dirt, coughing.  
  
"What was that?" I choked out. Will rolls off me and lifts me up by the neck of my dress.  
  
"Meg, go hide," he ordered.  
  
"What! Why-"  
  
"Because I said so, Meg, now go!" he bellowed. I didn't move. He grabbed me by the arm and marched with me up the stairs, throwing me in our room and slamming it shut. I threw myself against it just as he locked it.  
  
"Will!" I screamed. "Let me out!"  
  
"I will when it's safe!" he yelled back. There was a clanging and clinking of metal, and then there was silence. Tears streaming down my face, I ran to the window, my skirt fluttering around my legs. My mouth dropped open at what I saw.  
  
Buildings were aflame, their bright tongues licking away the wood and reaching for the sky. People ran in the streets, screaming. Dirty men, hollering foul words, threw bombs into the shops and waved their swords like flags. Men, women, and children went down without a fight, and I knew why Will kept me inside.  
  
And there he was. My dear, brave brother. He had his ax and sword, and fought with all his strength. Screams rang in the air like the church bells. Frightened women held their children close and ran for the fort, which was being sieged by cannons. Black smoke curled in the sky. The prison was broken into, and thieves and murderers and god-knows- what ran in the streets, singing bawdy songs and cheering.  
  
A group of the men ran past us across the street. They had a captive. I squinted, peering to see who it was. My heart froze.  
  
Elizabeth.  
  
Holy shit.  
  
A woman in a cap ran underneath my window, shrieking. A dirty man who smelled like a pig ran after her, leering and sneering. I threw a book and it hit him in the head. He caught sight of me, and my blood froze. His face was scarred in an X shape, and his skin itself was red and scabby, like his insides had been turned outside. He threw what looked like a rock at me, and it landed on the sill.  
  
A bomb. I ran to the door, pounding and screaming. I heard Will. "Meg!" I didn't think twice and dove to the floor.  
  
The explosion was horrendous. Wood beams fell, and nails landed straight in the floor. Fire was everywhere. A beam had me trapped, and with no way to get down. I was going to die.  
  
Oh Holy Father, I beg you, help me find a way out.  
  
I tried to push up the heavy beam lying across my chest. It resisted and only lifted a little bit. I kept shoving as the flames grew closer and closer. With a final heave, I lifted it enough so I could slide out. I ran to where the door was. The explosion had blasted it backward off its hinges. God bless.  
  
Downstairs was still in reasonably good shape. I was headed for the sword stand Will built, for my sword, when a sudden groaning rang in my ears. I turned around at the heavy moaning sound.  
  
A burning beam was slowly making its way down, breaking the other beams on the way down. I screamed and tried to run, but a huge splinter pinned my skirt to the floor. I tugged and tugged, my eyes never leaving the beam and my mouth shrieking. Another beam suddenly and without warning swung around by the ropes, hitting me with the force of a hammer in the head. Without another sound, I fell. 


	6. Chapter 6

Chapter 6  
  
"Bock bock bock?"  
  
Something was pulling my hair. I groaned and raised a hand to swat it away, then reconsidered and dropped my hand.  
  
"Bock bock bock?"  
  
"Go away," I muttered, resting my head on the dirt. Smoke filled my nostrils, acrid and dusty and choking, and I coughed and gagged. The chicken stared. I sat up, finally opening my eyes. I gasped. The chicken stared.  
  
Burned, charred remnants of the buildings were all that remained. Bloody corpses were strewn around the street, and the survivors huddled around the bodies, carrying away those that looked like they might survive. A little boy around seven was carried away, both his knees shot. He moaned, his tears leaving white trail down his dirty face. An old woman wept over the body of her dead husband. This was hell in its purest, most evil form. I shivered, swallowing back my tears.  
  
Will. His name screamed in my mind, and I stood up, my knees shaking. Was he dead? Was he captured? Was he lying somewhere in the street, bleeding to death, waiting for someone to help him? I walked quickly down the street, trying to keep my head clear and my eyes peeled.  
  
There he was. Lying on his back, spread-eagle, a dud bomb near his feet. With a low cry, I knelt by him, cradling his head in my arms. He didn't respond. His face was scratched, and his hand was bleeding, but he didn't appear to be shot. Oh my Will.  
  
"Will," I sobbed, burying my face in his hair. "Will." My salty tears made small puddles on his cheekbones and broad forehead. My brother. My twin. My only family. I wept harder, my body shaking.  
  
He made a small sound, maybe a moan or a grunt. I was silent, my eyes wide. His eyelashes fluttered, and he looked dazed. But he was alive. Alive! He was alive! A new wave of tears broke over, and I pummeled his chest.  
  
"YOU IDIOT!" I bellowed. "YOU COULD'VE BEEN KILLED! I ALMOST DIED! YOU ALMOST DIED! I'M GOING TO BREAK YOUR NECK, YOU POOR SUBSTITUTE FOR SLIME!" People turned to stare, but I didn't care.  
  
"Meg," he whispered.  
  
"WHAT WERE YOU THINKING?!? YOU LOCKED ME IN A ROOM THAT GOT BOMBED! YOU IDIOT, YOU MORON, YOU-"  
  
"Meg!"  
  
"What?"  
  
"Where's Elizabeth?"  
  
I smacked myself in the head. "Oh no," I whispered. "They took her away. They took her, Will." My head began to spin, and I wavered.  
  
"Be strong," he said, wrapping an arm around me and standing up. "We have to find her."  
  
"How?"  
  
He stared past me, and I turned around. Commodore Norrington was in the cement square, with a map and instruments. Governor stood near him. Will grasped his ax in hand and marched over there, me in his furious wake.  
  
"They've taken Elizabeth," he said to turned backs. "We must save her."  
  
"Young Turner, there is nothing we can do. We've sent out a ship, but it's hopeless to even think she'd still be alive. Take him away." Norrington didn't even look at him.  
  
"But we must-"  
  
"William," Governor said. "If there is anything you know.anything.about where my daughter is, please tell me." Will was quiet.  
  
"Captain, please alert the sailors that the ship will be leaving in a few days," Norrington said, dismissing Will, who's temper was quickly getting the better of him.  
  
He threw his ax deep into the wood table. "THAT'S NOT GOOD ENOUGH!" he roared, and everyone was silent. I had never seen Will so furious before, not even when I stole his trousers and he ran about the street naked trying to get them.  
  
"Young Turner, we could send out all the ships we have, but it wouldn't matter. That was the fastest ship in the world, The Black Pearl; there's not another person or ship that could follow them," Norrington said in a steely tone, yanking out the ax by the butt.  
  
"So there's no man who can track down the ship?" Will asked quietly, starting to sound defeated.  
  
"Jack Sparrow," the thin soldier from the other day piped up. Everyone turned to him. "He-he talked about the Black Pearl."  
  
The fat one sighed. "Mentioned is more like it," he corrected.  
  
"Find him," Will demanded. "Do something. Make a deal with him, he can lead us to her."  
  
"Turner," Norrington snarled, his voice full of venom. "I make the choices here, I make the commands." He met my eyes and held them, and I stared defiantly. He cocked his head. "Now go take your sister somewhere and do something useful." He nodded towards a guard, who put his hand on my shoulder. I slapped it away, marching angrily from the building, Will at my heels. But instead of turning left, he started jogging right. With a groan, I picked up my skirts and ran after him.  
  
"Will! Where are we going?"  
  
"To the prisons." 


	7. Chapter 7

Chapter 7  
  
I ran after Will down the alleys, the sticky mud caking my skirt and shoes. It was a long way to the prison, and by the time the stone gray brick building came into view, I was breathing hard and had a stitch in my side. Will didn't lower his pace at all, his sword swinging on his belt.  
  
"Come on, Meg!" he called before disappearing into a doorway. Grumbling to myself, I followed, only at a slower pace so I could actually breathe. Will stood before the only undamaged cell.  
  
"You! Sparrow!"  
  
Jack propped his head up from the hay pile. "Ay?"  
  
"Do you know of the Black Pearl?"  
  
"I do." He caught sight of me and grinned, the gold on his teeth glinting in the light. "Hello, love. Not fully healed from your singing yet."  
  
"How comforting," I said shortly. He grinned wider. I tried to ignore his eyes.  
  
"Where does it make berth?" Will interrupted. "All ships have to anchor at some port."  
  
"Where does it make berth?" he asked incredulously. "I don't know."  
  
"Every ship has to make berth! Where does the Black Pearl anchor?" Will was starting to lose his patience again.  
  
He sighed and sat up. "The Black Pearl berths at an island that you can't find UNLESS you've already been there."  
  
"We need to get there," I said quietly.  
  
Jack shifted his gaze. "If you're going searching for the Black Pearl, you're gonna have to do it along, mate. I see nothing in it for me."  
  
"I'll spring you from this cell," I piped up.  
  
He sighed. "There's no way you can bend iron, lass," he said, drawling.  
  
I studied the bolts on the door. "Will, I daresay that we made these cells, didn't we?"  
  
"Yeah," he agreed, shaking the hinges. "These bolts.they snap under intense pressure and weight." He snatched a stool from across the cell and positioned it so it was diagonal against the wall. Jack watched, uninterested yet interested. I recognized that look on Will whenever he talked to Elizabeth.  
  
"Tell me, mate, why you want to find this ship?" Jack asked nonchalantly, rising.  
  
"They've taken Elizabeth," Will replied. Jack grinned.  
  
"Ah, yes, I remember her-"  
  
I banged my palm on the wall and grabbed him by the shirt collar. "Don't even speak it," I hissed, and he was quiet, studying my face. Oh God, those eyes.  
  
"What's you name?" he asked softly, his breath like a soft breeze on my face.  
  
"Margaret Turner," I said. "Meg."  
  
His eyes shifted to Will. "Will Turner," he said, his dark eyes intent on Jack. His face revealed no emotion.  
  
"A good strong name," he said. "Your father's name, I presume."  
  
"Yes," Will replied, sounding slightly surprised.  
  
Jack thought for a sec, then stood up. "All right. If you spring me from this cell, I swear, on an oath of death, I shall take you to the Black Pearl.and your bonny lass." He held out a hand wrapped in cloth. I noticed how black his fingernails were.  
  
Will shook. "Deal."  
  
"Good. Now get me outta here."  
  
I tapped Will on the shoulder. "May I?" He stepped aside, smiling.  
  
"Lass, you can't-" He didn't even finish his sentence. With one solid shove, the bench lifted up the door, breaking the bolts and coming away from the doorway. Jack's mouth fell open for a second. I threw the door to the floor with a sharp bang.  
  
"Quick, someone must've heard that," Will said, heading for the other side.  
  
"Not without my essentials," Jack said quickly, snatching them off a peg.  
  
~*~*~*~*~*~*~*  
  
We ran, skirting the city streets until we got to a small tributary that ran into the sea. Soldiers ran everywhere, shouting words I couldn't distinguish. We hid behind the shadows of the old stone bridge, peering at the running soldiers on the docks.  
  
"How are we going to do this?" Will whispered.  
  
"We trade," Jack said simply. "We steal a ship, and switch."  
  
"And how do we do that?"  
  
He turned to us both. "Listen, I'm not going to do this if you aren't behind me all the way, savvy? William, how much will you give for her?"  
  
"I would die for her," he hissed defensively.  
  
"Good then," he replied cheerfully. "Now follow me carefully." He sprang from the bridge, and I quickly followed him before I could think. Will's breath was warm on my neck. Jack slid under a small upside-down boat, reaching out a hand to me. It was cramped, to say the least, and it didn't get better when Will joined us. With a small, almost insignificant signal, he raised it up a little and tiptoed to the water's edge quickly. I held my breath waiting to be seen.  
  
"Hold onto the sides," Jack said quietly, and my fingers grew white from gripping so hard. I gasped as the cold water reached my collarbone. Jack continued to walk on the sand, slowly going down. I tried not to doubt him as my fear of drowning before doing anything drove me mad.  
  
"This is either sheer madness, or brilliance," Will said from behind.  
  
"Most of the time it's both," he replied smoothly. My foot bumped into something wooden, and I jumped over it.  
  
"Watch out for the-"  
  
Crack!  
  
"Lobster trap," I said quietly. Will grunted, trying to shake off the crude wooden structure, then gave up. I hoped no one would notice the barrel floater moving thru the water to the Dauntless.  
  
Jack turned to face me. "Hold onto me, love."  
  
"Hell no."  
  
"Can you climb up a wet, slimy chain as quickly as you can a vine?" he said sharply, his eyes glaring. I shook my head. "Then hold onto me." I put my arms around his neck carefully, trying not to strangle him. He grabbed one of my legs and wrapped it around his waist, then did the same with the other one. I felt like some strange monkey. "Will, you follow. Savvy?"  
  
"Yeah." Without another word, Jack scurried up the chain. I held my breath as the cold water met my face unceremoniously, and I squeezed my eyes shut. Jack didn't make a sound. I gasped when my face hit the water.  
  
"Climb up, I can't do it by myself," he gasped, clutching the rudder. I nodded and moved over as Will's soaking head popped up, and he gasped for air. Jack had already started to climb.  
  
"The minute I get ahold of your sword, I'm ripping up this dress," I muttered. He grinned. I shinnied up the Dauntless, landing gracefully on the tiny balcony in back, then continuing to climb up to the wheel deck. Jack crouched behind it, and he pulled me close.  
  
"Be silent," he whispered, like I was making a sound. Will thudded to the floor behind me with a grunt, and Jack rolled his eyes. "Wrong Turner," he muttered, shaking his head. I smiled. He turned to me. "Just...stay here, okay? Stay hidden until I say to come out."  
  
"Why me?"  
  
"I don't want.anything to happen to you," he said before thinking. I looked at him, surprised, then nodded. He unsheathed his pistol, then motioned for Will to follow him. They peered down the stairs, and Jack sauntered down the steps, making his move.  
  
"Nobody move," he proclaimed. "You've been taken over by pirates."  
  
"Arrr," Will cried. "Avast!"  
  
The men looked at each other, then burst into laughter. Jack glared at Will, who gave him an innocent, I'm-a-total-idiot look. I groaned, trying not to laugh out loud.  
  
"A ship cannot be run by two men," one of them said. "You won't even get past the bay."  
  
Jack cocked his pistol and held it to the man's forehead. "I'm Captain Jack Sparrow. Savvy?" he said in a low voice that absolutely screamed RUN FOR IT NOW!!!!!!!  
  
"All men to the boat!" he cried, and they turned and ran. Jack looked over at the wheel and motioned me to step out. I crept over to Will, who squeezed my shoulder.  
  
"Smooth move, ace."  
  
"Shut up, Meg." 


	8. Chapter 8

Chapter 8  
  
A/N: Sorry, I know it's been awhile.  
  
"Meg, grab the ropes!"  
  
"HOLD ON!" I sawed the remaining threads off my long skirt, about a foot of cloth piled at my feet. On a second thought, I sawed off the long sleeves to my elbows. Jack stared, then quickly turned away.  
  
"Meg, are you done YET?" Will hollered. I walked quietly behind him, slapping the back of his head as I passed. "Hey!" Without a word, I grabbed the rope and pulled down with all my weight on it.  
  
"This good?" I called to Jack.  
  
"Uh, yeah, that's fine. Perfect," he said distractedly, fiddling with the wheel. A gunshot cracked in the air, and I turned; the Interceptor was heading towards us at a worrying speed.  
  
"Uh Jack?" I called. "You done with the wheel mechanics yet?"  
  
"Do all women nag like that?" he grumbled. I glared, and he stumbled back on his words. "Yes, yes, I'm almost done, love."  
  
"Stop calling me that! My name is Meg, not love."  
  
"Right, sorry, love."  
  
I rolled my eyes. Men.  
  
Will grabbed my arm and dragged me up to the wheel deck, where Jack wiped his hands unceremoniously on Will's sleeve. Will frowned. "Get low," he hissed, and we all dropped to the floor. Jack placed a firm hand on the middle of my back, and I felt shivers racing up and down my spine. I'm sure I blushed. The sudden loud sounds of hooks grasping the sides and wooden gangplanks setting immediately flushed out all thoughts of Jack and where his hands were.  
  
"Search all the decks! I want them found!" Commodore Norrington commanded. Jack peered over at the now empty Interceptor. Without a word and a flick of the wrist, he grabbed a rope and swung over. I grabbed another and followed suit, my legs clutching the rope for all I was worth. Jack grabbed my wrists as I came up to the deck, and I fell into his arms unceremoniously. He seemed surprised, but very resisting. And then Will fell from the rope onto the deck, and Jack released me.  
  
"Will, cut the ropes," he ordered quietly. Will leapt up and snatched his hatchet from his belt, slicing the ropes with one firm swing. Jack looked down at me, his eyes suddenly very revealing. But before I could accurately study them, he grabbed my arms and swung me away from him. "Meg, go unveil the sail," he whispered in my ear. I nodded mutely, sprinting past Will and tugging on the great white sails. They released into the air like huge bird wings, the edges fluttering gently in the wind. Jack was already at the wheel, and the gangplanks fell into the water with a splash. The other sailors were suddenly shouting, and Commodore Norrington shouted, "Everyone back to the ship!" A sailor swung from a rope, trying to land on the deck, but lost his balance mid-air, flipped a few times, and fell into the water. I peered over the side. He didn't come back up. I raised a hand to my mouth in worry.  
  
"Thank you, Commodore, for this lovely ship, and for your permission on letting us sail away," Jack caroled, waving his floppy leather hat to him. Gunshots went off at his statement, and I dove for the floor. The bullets pinged against the wood. Will tugged on a rope farther up the ship, and Jack whooped, replacing his hat and speeding into the infinite sea.  
  
~*~*~*~*~*~*~  
  
"When my mother died, I came here from England, in search of my father," Will finished, sharpening his sword blade. Jack nodded morosely.  
  
"Is that so?" he said distractedly, walking back up to the wheel.  
  
"You said something about my father, back at the jail. I didn't think about it then, but I realize now. I'm no fool, Jack. You knew my father." Will said the last bit with a firm conviction.  
  
"As a matter of fact, I did," Jack said, not looking at him. "He was a good man, your father. A good pirate." He paused, turning to Will. "I swear you look just like him."  
  
Will stood stunned. "What?" I sat down quickly, leaning against the side. My father? A pirate? I remembered the soft dark eyes, his strong hands lifting me up, his deep laughter and my squeals of delight. My mother crying, standing on the porch, pleading with him not to go. His hands against my cheeks, promising to return soon to take me across the sea. My father. "My father was not a pirate," I said steadily.  
  
"He was a successful merchant sailor of Port Royal," Will finished.  
  
"He was a bloody pirate," Jack snapped. "A scallywag if I ever saw one."  
  
I stood up sharply, and Will unsheathed his sword. "My father," he spat, making every word clear. "Was not a pirate."  
  
Jack sighed, his back going slack. "Put it away, lad," he said in a tired voice. "It's not worth you getting beat again."  
  
"You didn't beat me," Will argued. "You didn't go by the rules of swordplay, and if you had, I would've killed you."  
  
"Well, it's a good thing I don't play by the rules, now isn't it?" he said capriciously. Will stood alert, his sword still pointing at him.  
  
I started to walk over to him. "Look, Sparrow, our father-" I never finished my sentence. With a sudden jerk, he whipped a beam around, catching me in the face and sending me to the floor on my back. Will got it in the stomach, dropping his sword and dangling above the water. Blood spurted from my nose, trailing down my cheeks. I struggled not to cry. Jack picked up Will's fallen sword and pointed it down at me, then looked at Will.  
  
"Since you're just hanging there," he drawled to my brother. "Why don't you just pay attention, and realize what a man can do.and what a man can't do." He looked down at me. "You might want to listen up, too, love." I moaned. "For instance, I could let you drown. I could kill your sister and use her blood to clean these decks. But I can't sail a ship into Tortouga all by myself. Now, you can accept that your father was a pirate and a good man, or you can't. But you both got pirate blood in you, and you'll have to deal with that someday." With a groan, he spun the wheel in a few circles, and the beam came swinging back. Will let go and fell to the metal grate with a grunt and a thud, lying stunned beside me. My blood slowly began to stain the wood. "Now, can you sail under a flag of a pirate or can't you?" Jack turned his sword around, offering the handle to Will to take. He grasped it, almost surprised.  
  
"Tortouga?"  
  
Jack grinned fastidiously. "Tortouga."  
  
A/N: I'm not sure how to spell Tortouga. Is that right? 


	9. Chapter 9

Chapter 9  
  
We reached Tortuga later that day, after the sun had set but there was still a bit of light. I leaned over the side, squinting at the many tiny lights from the shore. Drunken laughter, indistinguishable voices, and gunshots. My arms pricked with goose bumps. I jumped when Jack laid a hand on my shoulder.  
  
"You don't have to go if you don't want to, love," he said softly. I slapped his hand away roughly.  
  
"I don't mean to stay here," I said coldly, still not trusting him. He gave me a quick grin, his gold and silver teeth glinting for a split second. Then he jumped over the side and into the lowered lifeboat. He turned to look back up at me, and held out his hands. With a sigh, I followed suit, rocking the boat slightly as I landed and clinging to his arms. Will landed on his arm, and cursed for a bit before settling down. Jack grabbed the paddles and began to row us to shore.  
  
~*~*~*~*~*~*~*  
  
"...More importantly, it is indeed a sad life that has never breathed deep the sweet proliferous bouquet that is Tortuga, savvy? What do you think?" "It'll linger," Will commented. I stared as a wagon rumbled past, dragging a man by the ankles screeching his lungs out. Will grasped my wrist keeping me close. I stared at a woman whose dress was so tight her breasts were practically popping out. A man beneath her drank whiskey from his mug and the leaky barrel he leaned against. He was soaked and grimy. A man leered at me wickedly, and I inched closer to Will. Jack turned to Will and punched his arm playfully. "I'll tell you mate, if every town in the world were like this one, no man would ever feel unwanted," he said, completely serious. I spied a prostitute with dark red hair tied atop her head and too much make-up marching over to us. Jack turned and smiled. "Scarlet!" he cried happily. She smacked him smartly across the face and swished away quickly. "Not sure I deserved that," Jack mumbled, cracking his jaw into place.  
  
Another prostitute walked up to him, this one a blonde with bright red lipstick and bright cheeks. He smiles at her. "Giselle!"  
  
She nods at the retreating redhead. "Who is she?" she asks smartly.  
  
"Whu?" SMACK! She marches away in a huff. Jack thinks for a minute. "I may have deserved that. But never mind! We aren't here for the prostitutes! Come with me, Will."  
  
He led my brother and I to a well, grabbing a pail and lowering it. "Get a bucket full of water," he instructs. Will drops his bucket and I have to fish it out. It takes a while, and Jack is very impatient, playing with his sword and poking me with it. I slap him across the face when we finally have our buckets.  
  
"I understand why they do that now," I said. He made a face and motioned for us to follow him behind a barn. Three hogs lie beneath a sorry excuse for a tarp, and a snoring old man sleeps leaned against him. Jack throws him bucket of water at him. The hogs snort and make hog noises, the same as the man.  
  
"Curse you for breathing, you slack jawed idiot!" he bellows, squinting to see who threw the water. His eyes widen. "Mother's love! Jack! You should know better then to wake a man when he's sleeping." He shakes his head at him. "'S bad luck."  
  
Jack raises a finger. "Ah, fortunately I know how to counter it." He squats down opposite the man. "The man who did the waking buys, the man who was sleeping, a drink. The man who was sleeping drinks it while listening to a proposition from the man who did the waking." The man grins. "Aye, that'll about do it." He reaches out a hand, and Jack pulls him up, then steps aside as Will threw his bucketful at him. He shakes his head and water droplets fly. "BLAST! I'M ALREADY AWAKE!" he hollers. "That was for the smell," Will says. The man opens his mouth to say something, then shrugs and nods his head. Jack nods to me, and I throw my water at him. The dirty man is now completely soaked. "WHAT THE HELL WAS THAT FOR?" "You weren't completely clean yet." ~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~* Will and I stand outside a room in a tavern. Jack returns with three mugs. He hands one to me (filled with cold water) and turns to Will, looking around at the hollering, brawling men and women scattered about the small main room. "Keep a sharp eye," he says softly, then leaves. Will motions for me to listen in. I hand him my mug and inch closer. "Now, what's the nature of this 'venture your'n?" the man asked pleasantly, taking a gulp from his mug. "I'm going after the Black Pearl," Jack replies. The man chokes and sets his mug down, astonished into silence. "I know where it's gonna be, and I'm gonna take it." "Jack." he almost whispers. "It's a fool's errand. Well, you know better than me the tales of the Black Pearl."  
  
"That's why I know what Barbossa's up to," Jack replies. "All I need is a crew." "From what I hear tell of Captain Barbossa, he's not a man to suffer fools nor strike a bargain with one." "Then it's a good thing I'm not a fool then, aye?" "Prove me wrong. What makes ye think Barbossa will give up his ship to you?" "Let's just say it's a matter of leverage, aye?" Will turns his head at this, and I push him back. My breath is short, my heart is racing, but I keep away. The man grunts in confusion. Jacks beads clatter in his hair. The man still doesn't get it. Jack makes impatient noises, the clacking more insistent. "The kids?" the man asked, obviously confused. "Those are the twin children of Bootstrap Bill Turner," Jack says importantly. "His only children. Savvy?" "Are they now?" the man's voice is greedy and cunning. "The girl, she's a fine thing to look at, ain't she?" "Keep your mind off her," Jack advises, his voice suddenly sharp. "Leverage says you," the man says, backing down immediately. "I think I feel a change in the wind says I. I'll find us a crew. There's bound to be some sailors on this rock crazy as you." His voice is full of giddiness. "One can only hope." Jack's mug clinks. "Take what you can." "Give nothing back," the man finishes. They clank their mugs, swallow it all down, and bang them on the table in unison. 


	10. Chapter 10

Chapter 10  
  
"Feast you eyes, Captain!" Gibbs proclaimed loudly. "All of them faithful hands before the mast. Every man worth his salt. And crazy to boot." He said the last bit with a certain lovingness. I tried not to stare at a man so short he barely came to my waist. He leered at me. That was becoming too common for me.  
  
Jack walked slowly down the line of sailors, studying them critically. He stopped in front of one with white-gray hair, a leathery face, and a blue parrot on his shoulder. "You, sailor!" he said loudly.  
  
"Cotton, sir," Gibbs added.  
  
"Mr. Cotton," Jack said. "Do you have the courage and fortitude to follow orders and stay true in the face of danger and almost certain death?" Cotton looked at Gibbs. "Mr. Cotton! Answer me, man," Jack snarled dangerously.  
  
"Ah, he's a mute, sir," Gibbs mentioned. "Poor devil had his tongue cut out- " (Cotton opened his mouth, showing a stump of a tongue. I put a hand to my mouth, and Jack bit his tongue between his teeth.) "-so he trained the parrot to talk for him. No one's yet figured out how." he muttered to himself. Jack took a step forward, then turned to the man again. "Mr. Cotton's.parrot. Same question."  
  
"Waaaaaak. Wind in the sails. Wind in the sails." Will made a face of confused understanding, nodding his head. Jack simply stared, slightly frowning.  
  
"Mostly we figure that means 'yes'," Gibbs piped up.  
  
"Of course!" I said sarcastically.  
  
Jack turned to Will. "Satisfied?"  
  
"Well, you've certainly proved they're mad," Will said truthfully, a slight sharpness to his tongue. I glared at him from behind Jack.  
  
"And what's the benefit for us?" a sudden female's voice asked loudly. Jack walked down the line, a look of confusion on his face. He stopped before a figure with a floppy, worn leather hat. He peered under the brim, then lifted the whole thing off. Long dark hair tumbled down the woman's shoulders. Her look was stony. Jack smiled at her.  
  
"Annamaria," he said in recognition. She slapped him across the face.  
  
"I suppose you didn't deserve that one either," Will said sarcastically.  
  
"No, that one I deserved," he said sheepishly. Annamaria nodded.  
  
"You stole my boat," she accused.  
  
"Actually-" SMACK! ".borrowed, borrowed without permission but with every intention of returning it."  
  
"But you DIDN'T!" she pointed out.  
  
"You'll get another one," he said lamely. She raised her hand threateningly, and he cowered. She pointed at him, glaring fiercely.  
  
"I will," she said coldly.  
  
"A better one," Will piped up.  
  
"A better one," Jack repeated.  
  
"That one," I pointed.  
  
"What one?" Jack asked, confused. I motioned towards the Interceptor. "That one!?" he demanded/asked roughly. I nodded sweetly. "Aye! That one. What say you?"  
  
"Aye!" she shouted, followed by the other crew members.  
  
"Waaaaaaaak! Shiver me timbers!"  
  
"No, no no no no no," Gibbs protested, standing in front of Annamaria and I. "It's bad luck to have women aboard, sir."  
  
I felt a hand squeeze my shoulder. Jack leaned over between us. "It'd be far worse not to have them," he said, and that was that. Annamaria grinned at me, and I smiled back.  
  
"What's your name?" she asked, walking with me freely towards a longboat.  
  
"Meg."  
  
"Annamaria." She grasped my hand and shook it fiercely. I liked her already.  
  
~*~*~*~*~*~*~*  
  
This was the worst storm I'd ever witnessed. Maybe it was because we were out in the middle of it. Howling winds tugged at my hair, twisting it into knots and tangles. The deck was wet and slippery, and the waves picked us up and threw us back down. Rain and sea water soaked us all. Jack was undisturbed by all this, standing behind the wheel and studying the compass. I slipped and fell, sliding down the deck towards the water. I grabbed a hanging robe and barely managed not being washed overboard. Will, seeing my dilemma, slipped and slid down to where I was dangling and pulled me back up on deck. He and I grabbed the rope and pulled it over to the other side, steadying one of the canvas sails. Gibbs was tying down a sail as well.  
  
I stared at Jack. "How can we sail-" SPLASH! "-to an island that nobody can find-" WHOOSH! "-with a compass-" ANOTHER SPLASH! "-that doesn't work?"  
  
"Aye, the compass doesn't point north," Gibbs hollered to me. "But we're not trying to find north, are we?" He lumbered up to the wheel deck, Will and I staring at him.  
  
"I'm never going to understand those two," Will yelled in my ear.  
  
I merely nodded. 


	11. Chapter 11

Chapter 11  
  
A few days passed. Jack was in an incredibly good mood because we were gaining on the Pearl. Or so Gibbs said.  
  
It grew unnaturally foggy. I couldn't see how Jack was able to steer us thru deadly waters, but he did. He relied on his compass more now.  
  
"Dead men tell no tales." the parrot squawked in the still air. It's voice echoed, and everyone stood to one side, peering over the edge and into the depths of the water. Sharks were everywhere. I clutched tighter to the ropes.  
  
Gibbs sighed, turning away from the water. Will and I followed him. "Puts a chill in the bones how many honest sailors have been claimed by this passage," Gibbs said aloud, tugging on the pulleys.  
  
Will was watching Jack. He noticed Mr. Cotton peering over Jack's shoulder at the compass. Jack snapped it shut after turning more east. "How did Jack come upon that compass?" he wondered aloud. Gibbs sighed happily "Not a lot known about Jack Sparrow before he showed up in Tortuga with a mind to go after the treasure of the Isla de Muerta." He grinned and shook his head. "That was before I met him. Back when he was captain of the Black Pearl." Will turned around, shock written all over his features. My mouth hit the floor. "What?" we said at the same time, short of breath. Will turned back to the sea. "He failed to mention that," I grumbled. "Well, he plays things close to the vest now," Gibbs replied. "And a hard learned lesson it was." He sat down on a coil of rope. I sat down across from him, my legs bent at the knee. Will got down on his knees behind me. "See, three days out on the venture the first mate comes to him and says everything's an equal share as should be the location of the treasure, too. So, Jack gives up the bearings. That night, there was a mutiny. They marooned Jack on an island and left him to die but not before he'd gone mad with the heat." "Oh." I said, not really understanding. "Oh," Will says, more to himself than to us. "So that's the reason for all the." He popped out his eyes a bit and pretended to teeter back and forth, making the same hand movements Jack made. I smiled and almost laughed aloud. Gibbs scowled fiercely at my brother. "Reason's got nothing to do with it," he snarled. "Now Will, Meg, when a man is marooned he is a given a pistol with a single shot." He shrugged. "Well, it won't do much good hunting or to be rescued. But after three weeks of starvin' belly and thirst, that pistol starts to look real friendly." He made a double-barreled pistol with his fingers and placed it near his temples as he talked. "But Jack made it off the island, and he still has that one shot. Oh, but he won't use it though, save for one man. His mutinous first mate." Something clicked. "Barbossa," I said softly. "Aye." Will looked thoughtfully at Jack, then turned back to Gibbs. "How did Jack get off the island?" "Well, I'll tell ye," he said excitedly, shifting his weight. "He waded out into the shallows and there he waited three days, and three nights, till all manner of sea creature came and acclimated to his presence. And on the fourth morning, he roped himself a couple of sea turtles, harnessed them together and made a raft." I looked at him doubtfully. "He roped a couple of sea turtles?" I repeated slowly. "Aye." "What did he use for rope?" Will asked suspiciously. Gibbs opened his mouth to answer, then hesitated, unsure of himself. He must have heard a noise, because he turned away from us and peered up. Will looked up, and I could feel his legs stiffen. I didn't even bother. "Human hair," Jack said sarcastically. "From my back." I flinched, making a face. He turned to the other sailors, still staring at the water. "Let go of the anchor!" "Let go of the anchor, sir!" they repeated back, scrambling away from the side. Jack motioned for Gibbs to come close. "Young Mr. Turner and I will be going to shore," he said softly, but not so soft I couldn't hear him. He pointed at me. "Take care of her. MAKE SURE NOTHING HAPPENS TO HER." "Aye, sir," Gibbs confirmed, looking slightly puzzled at the request and the intensity of it. "What if the worst should happen, sir?" "Keep to the code." "Aye, sir, the code." Jack walked amiably over to me, standing right in front of me. I kept my eyes diverted, studying the wood planks on the deck. He put two fingers under my chin and lifted my eyes to his. They were calm and steady and strong. I struggled not to cry. "I promise to return, love," he said smoothly. "For your sake.for my sanity.don't be like your brother and do something stupid." "Aye, sir," I said softly, looking down at the floor again. "Why you always looking down, love?" "I'm afraid you may see something I don't want you to see." He tilted my chin up again. He didn't say anything for the longest time, just looked at me. I felt something crumble within at his gaze. "Sir, the longboat's ready, sir!" He sighed, shook his head, then quickly leaned over and pecked me on the lips before turning away and jumping overboard into the longboat. 


	12. Chapter 12

Chapter 12  
  
A/N: This is gonna be a looooooong chapter.  
  
I ran to the ship's edge, leaping on the very rail and clinging with one hand to the monkey rope. I watched as Jack and Will slowly made their way into the caves. Before they disappeared from sight, Jack lifted his hat, placed it to his chest, and bowed his head. He blew me a kiss. I felt like I was floating on clouds.  
  
"Aye, Meg!" Gibbs rushed over, his ruddy face beaming. "Er, get off of that. It's all slippery from the sea spray." I obliged and jumped down. "Say, Meg, that dress yer wearing looks a little.worn out, dontcha think?"  
  
I looked down. Some parts were wearing thru, and it deeply smelled of sea salt, and it was a little caked near the edges. "Actually, Mr. Gibbs, this has worked pretty nicely for these past few days-"  
  
"Nonsense," he chortled. "Listen, I brought with me a dress I.I thought you might like. Come with me."  
  
"You bought me a dress?" I repeated, following him.  
  
"Just in case. If I couldn't give it to you, I'd probably sell it back in Tortuga."  
  
"Ah."  
  
He led me to a tiny room filled with chests and barrels and gunnysacks. I stood in the doorway, fidgeting slightly. I've never been one to accept a gift from someone I didn't know that well. "Ah, here we go!" he said happily, and raised it up. It was a deep, deep purple, almost black. It was slim and, when I touched it, velvet. Gibbs was grinning like a fool.  
  
"Oh, Mr. Gibbs, this is beautiful," I whispered, fingering the skirt, free of huge petticoats that I detested.  
  
"Here, you change into this," he said, gently placing it in my hands. "Jack won't know what hit him."  
  
I stared at him in surprise. He knew? He grinned. "It's hard not to not know. He's been takin' care of ye, Meg. Go make him happy." And he left, saying over his shoulder, "I'll be waiting outside the door when yer done."  
  
Make him happy.  
  
I quickly changed. The dress felt like water, swirling around my knees. It was a little long, but not long enough that Id trip over it. There were no sleeves, and it was cut just across my sternum. There was a small bow in the middle of my back, tightening the fabric around my waist. It was absolutely beautiful. I untied my hair and let it fall back to my knees and down the front. I took a deep breath and opened the door.  
  
Gibbs started and stared at me, his eyes wide. "Oh, Meg." he said softly. "Yer gonna knock him outta the water."  
  
I smiled and embraced him. "Oh, thank you, Mr. Gibbs," I said happily. "I just love it."  
  
He hugged me gruffly. "I'm glad ye do."  
  
"There they are! There they are!" the call went up, and Gibbs and I raced to the railing. I was pushed aside, to the back, and Annamaria simply gritted her teeth and shoved me back thru. Elizabeth was first on deck, and she stared wide-eyed at the crew.  
  
"Not more pirates," she said pleadingly.  
  
Mr. Gibbs stepped forward. "Welcome aboard, Miss Elizabeth," he said in a very gentlemanly way. She stared at him in recognization.  
  
"Mr. Gibbs?" she asked suspiciously, and he nodded. She caught sight of me, and her whole face lit up. "Oh, Meg, how wonderful to see you!" She embraced me tightly, and I embraced her back, smiling blissfully. I looked over her shoulder for Jack, but only saw Will. He wouldn't look at me, instead looking down at the floor.  
  
"Hey, boy!" Gibbs asked, voicing my concerns. "Where be Jack?"  
  
Elizabeth backed away, looking at Will in disbelief. "Jack? Jack Sparrow?" she tried to confirm. Will still wouldn't look at me.  
  
"Will," I said steadily. "Where is Jack?"  
  
"He fell behind," he said softly, placing a hand on Elizabeth's shoulder and steering her away. He stopped beside me. "I'm sorry," he whispered, then walked away.  
  
I was in shock. I pushed past the crew to the very front of the ship, to the sharp tip of wood, struggling not to cry. I wrapped my arms around myself and wept.  
  
~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*  
  
We sailed at a rapid speed away from the goddamn Isla de Muerta, but I still stayed at the bow, my head in my arms, my tears long since dried. Annamaria was the only one to stop by, and she placed a hand on my shoulder and said, "I'm sorry" before walking back to steer. I barely paid attention to her. I was too lost in my sadness. It was when I noticed the crew moving faster and more frantic that I finally walked away from the bow, running to Annamaria at the wheel at the stern. Elizabeth was behind me.  
  
"What's happening?" she asked.  
  
"The Black Pearl," Annamaria replied shortly. "They're gaining on us."  
  
"That's impossible," Elizabeth sputtered. "This is the fastest ship in the Caribbean!"  
  
"You can tell them that after they caught us," she spat.  
  
"We're shallow on the draft, right?" I asked, an idea coming to me.  
  
"Aye," she said warily.  
  
"Well, can't we lose them amongst those shoals?" I pointed to the crystal blue water off to the starboard side. There was a long coral reef, and white water was easy to see.  
  
Gibbs came up behind me. "We don't have to outrun them long, just long enough."  
  
"Lighten the ship!" Annamaria ordered. "Stem to stern!"  
  
"Anything we can afford to lose, see that it's lost!" Gibbs bellowed. He and I started throwing barrels of ale overboard, and I found my old dress and heaved it over the side. That was the frenzy that the crew was getting in. Will finally came up from below deck, still not looking at me, and leapt onto the rail, looking behind us. One of the crew was getting ready to throw over a cannon, but Will stopped him.  
  
"We're gonna need that," he said. Gibbs and I stared. From the sides of the Black Pearl, long oars were coming out and bracing over the water, ready to tear it up. Annamaria sighed and turned the ship.  
  
"It was a good idea," she said to my how-could-you expression. "Until now."  
  
"Gibbs!" Will cried, running up to us. "We have to make a stand! Load the guns! We must fight!"  
  
"With what?" Annamaria asked coldly.  
  
"Anything. Everything! Anything we have left!"  
  
Gibbs started yelling. "Load the guns! Nails and crushed glass! With a will! The Pearl is going to luff up on our port quarter. She'll rake us without ever presenting a target!" "Lower the anchor on the right side!" Elizabeth demanded. "On the starboard side!" I added.  
  
"It certainly has the element of surprise," Will thought aloud.  
  
"You're daft, ladies," Annamaria shook her head. "All of you are."  
  
"Daft like Jack!" Gibbs proclaimed solidly, before turning to the crew and bellowing, "Lower the starboard anchor! Do it, ye dogs, or it's you we'll load in the cannons!" There was a splash as the anchor was lowered. The ship jerked to the right sharply, and I slid across the floor to the railing, grasping so hard my fingers turned white.  
  
"Let go of the wheel!" Elizabeth and I yelled at the same time. Annamaria obliged, and the ship made a very sharp turn, and Will hit my legs as he slid and hit the side.  
  
"Hard aport!" a deep voice from the pirate ship bellowed, and the Pearl drifted up beside us, the pirates sneering and snarling and yelling. I felt my muscles tense.  
  
This was it.  
  
"Keep us steady now," Will muttered, handing me a gun. "NOW!"  
  
"FIRE!" another man yelled from the ship.  
  
"FIRE!" Elizabeth and I screamed. Booms shook our ship, and gunpowder smoked the air. Will and I fired at anyone we saw moving on the other ship. Some fell in with a yell. Most just kept fighting. And then I thought I heard a voice from somewhere below.  
  
"STOP BLOWING HOLES IN MY SHIP!"  
  
Jack? I didn't dare to think, and kept fighting.  
  
"We could a few more ideas, lass!" Gibbs shouted to Elizabeth, loading and firing.  
  
"Your turn!" she shouted back.  
  
"We need a devil's dowry."  
  
"We'll give them her!" Annamaria pointed her pistol at Elizabeth's head.  
  
"She's not what they're after!" Will shouted, turning to me for the first time. "It's us," he said softly. My mouth opened. Us?  
  
Elizabeth fumbled with her neckline, tensing like a spring. "The medallion," she whispered. Without a word, Will sprinted for the below decks, and vanished without a sight.  
  
"Ya bloomin' cockroaches," someone bellowed on the Pearl. "Hands! Grapples, at the ready. Prepare to board!" Another blast sent two cannon balls, hooked together with a black chain, into our mast, severing it completely. With an inhuman moan, it began to fall over towards the Pearl. Men sprinted to get out of the way, and with a loud crash, it fell over to the ship, giving them total access to us. Grapple hooks flew thru the air, and pirates swung over, their daggers in their teeth. They landed with loud, dull thuds on the planks, yelling and making a ruckus. One pirate saw me and grinned.  
  
"Well, well, well," he snarled, swaggering before me. "If it isn't a sweet, innocent little poppet. Hello, love." I screamed, snatched his sword from his belt, and shoved it thru his stomach before shoving him overboard. With another scream, I ran into the brawling mess of pirates, swinging the sword and stabbing them overboard. Tears ran down my cheeks, but I didn't stop to wipe them away. A man on a rope ran into me, picking me up by the waist and sailing into the air.  
  
"Let go of me, you sick-minded bastard!" I shrieked, kicking and thrashing.  
  
"Don't make me drop you, love," a cool voice whispered in my ear. I turned around. Jack grinned at me. I choked, trying to breath. He landed with a thud on our ship, rolling. He covered my body with his, landing on his back with a groan.  
  
"I thought you were dead," I whispered.  
  
"You forgot one very important thing," he said, running a hand thru my hair. "I'm Captain Jack Sparrow." I laughed, a gasping laugh full of relief. Then I noticed Elizabeth having trouble with a pirate, struggling with the sword. "Help her," I whispered, jumping off of him. A thought occurred to me.  
  
Where was Will? The hold.  
  
When the mast fell, the wood splintered into huge pieces. A few of them were over the hold gate. I screamed and dodged the pirates-killing-pirates.  
  
"Will!" I screamed, interlacing my fingers in the metal.  
  
"Meg!" he yelled back. "Meg! Get me outta here!"  
  
I wrapped my arms under a relatively small splinter and threw it aside. The main log was huge and heavy, and I could only budge it an inch. A female scream reached me, and I saw Elizabeth flying over to me, her skirt like some sort of parachute. She screamed, "WILL! WILL!"  
  
"Elizabeth! Help me!"  
  
She and I struggled to move the log, but it was too heavy for the both of us, no matter how hard I tried to shove or push or pull.  
  
"We can't move it!" I cried. "Will, we can't move it!" Rough hands grabbed me by the arms, and I kicked and screamed and thrashed wildly. "WILL! WILL!"  
  
"MEG! ELIZABETH!"  
  
"WILL!"  
  
A/N: Whew, so much for THAT chapter. Time to work on the next one.. 


	13. Chapter 13

Chapter 13  
  
"Gents, our hope is restored," the man who couldn't possibly be anybody else but Barbossa yelled. The other pirates cheered. I still thrashed and screamed as the pirate carrying me struggled across the widening passage to the Black Pearl.  
  
"Let go of me!" I shrieked. "Let go! Will! Jack! WILL!!!!!!!!!"  
  
"As you wish," the pirate muttered as I socked him behind the ear. He released me, and I fell, screaming, into the sea.  
  
It was cold, for one thing. I came up gasping, trying to keep myself afloat. But the dress kept pulling me down from the weight. I could barely keep my mouth above water. "Jack." I whispered before the water claimed me. Beneath the waves, I still struggled and fought. The cloth came below my ankles, and I kept trying to rip some of it off so I could have more swimming access. My lungs were going to burst. Bubbles erupted from my mouth as dark spots danced before my eyes. I reached a hand towards the surface, kicking for all I was worth, and my hand broke thru. Another hand, definitely male, grabbed my wrist and pulled me up. I fell on the deck, coughing and gagging and spitting up water. My dress clung very tightly to a few.certain areas, and I snapped it so it was looser. "Thank you, I-" I stopped mid-sentence. Wrong boat. The crew of the Black Pearl grinned at me, letting their eyes stay where they wanted. Elizabeth and the crew from the Interceptor were tied to the mast. Two pirates walked around them, their pistols aimed.  
  
"Ah, missy, welcome aboard," Barbossa said softly, grabbing my arm between his fingers and pinching. I squeezed my mouth shut, trying not to yell. He threw me across the ship to the mast, and I hit it with a wet smack! I struggled not to scream. Our ship was a wooden mess of sails and planks. Barbossa stepped forward to watch. Jack was handcuffed and standing between two rough sailors, mouthing to me 'Don't do anything stupid' I nodded.  
  
"If any of you as much as thinks the word 'parley'," one of the pirates snarled. "I'll have your guts for garters." Barbossa nodded to himself. With a nod to Elizabeth, who dashed under the rope binding her to the mast, we sprinted for Barbossa. At that moment, the Interceptor exploded. Flames and smoke reached for the sky.  
  
"Will." I whispered, feeling like the world had dropped from beneath me. He wasn't here. The last time I saw him...I felt my eyes roll in back of my head, and I slumped forward. Two pirates grabbed me beneath the arms and shoved me against the mast, wrapping the rope around me. I didn't even bother fighting them. What was the point? Elizabeth was attacking Barbossa, screaming, "STOP IT! JUST STOP IT!"  
  
"Welcome back, missy!" he snarled, grasping her forearms. "You took advantage of our hospitality last time. It holds fair now that you return the favor." He shoved her towards a group of pirates, who began touching her and trying to remove her dress. Her screams echoed in my head. I didn't even bother looking at her.  
  
"BARBOSSA!" a familiar voice roared. My head snapped up, hope swelling within like a bubble. And there he was. Soaking wet and madder than hell, but alive. My brother. Aiming a pistol at Barbossa's face.  
  
"Will," I whispered.  
  
"She goes free."  
  
"What's in yer head, boy?" Barbossa demanded lazily.  
  
He pointed to Elizabeth. "She goes free!"  
  
"You've only got one shot," Barbossa notified. "And we can't die."  
  
"Don't do anything stupid," Jack begged softly to Will.  
  
"You can't," he said, leaping on the rail. He placed the pistol beneath his neck. "I can."  
  
"Like that," Jack pronounced.  
  
"NOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOO!" I wailed.  
  
Barbossa looked at me funny, then turned back to Will. "Who are you? And who is she?"  
  
Jack took this as a time to intervene. He stepped in front of Barbossa, blocking his view of my brother. "No one. He's no one. A distant cousin of my aunt's nephew, twice removed. Lovely singing voice, though." He whispered, "Eunuch."  
  
"My name is Will Turner," my brother announced. "My father was Bootstrap Bill Turner. His blood runs in my veins, as does my twin sister's." He pointed at me. I wanted to kill him. The pirates' attitude totally changed. They removed me from the mast, and a tall black man grabbed me.  
  
"Is this true?" he boomed, and I recognized his voice; the one that had hollered, "Hard aport!" all those minutes ago. I said nothing.  
  
"He's a spitting image of ol' Bootstrap Bill come back to haunt us," one of the pirates with two different eyes shouted, pointing a bent finger at Will.  
  
"On my word do as I say or I'll pull this trigger and be lost to Davy Jones' Locker," Will announced, his finger heavy on the trigger. I shook my head back and forth fast.  
  
"Name yer terms, Mr. Turner," Barbossa said snakily.  
  
"Elizabeth goes free!"  
  
"Yes, we know that one," he said silkily. "Anything else?" Jack made frantic motions toward himself, pointing and mouthing 'Me'.  
  
Will pointed. "And the crew. The crew are not to be harmed." Jack let his hands fall to his sides.  
  
Barbossa took a step forward, cocking his head just so. "Agreed."  
  
~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~  
  
"Go on! Walk the plank!" Elizabeth stared in shock, backing away from the sharp sword tips on the short plank of wood. Will and I struggled against the pirates trying to tie us up.  
  
"Barbossa, you lying bastard!" Will bellowed angrily. "You swore she'd go free!" I slapped a pirate across the face as he tried to touch me. He glared ruthlessly at me, and I knew I'd pay for that.  
  
"Don't dare impugn me honor, boy," Barbossa roared. "I agreed she'd go free it was you who failed to specify when or where." Will was gagged, still struggling. Barbossa looked lustfully at Elizabeth. "Though it does seem a shame to lose something so fine, don't it lads?" They 'ayed' their agreement. Elizabeth didn't dare to look hopeful. "So I'll be having that dress back, if ye don't mind," he finished, and the crew laughed and catcalled as she stripped before them. She was left wearing nothing but a long white underdress. I knew she felt embarrassed and humiliated.  
  
"I always liked you," Jack tried sucking up to a crewmate. He grunted in distaste, revealing a sharpened dagger. He shut up immediately.  
  
Elizabeth threw him the dress. "It goes with your black heart," she retorted. He merely smiled and rubbed the dress against his cheek.  
  
"Oooo, it's still warm," he said, and the crew laughed harder this time, and he threw the dress into the group. Elizabeth took tiny steps, closer and closer to the edge to the hooting of the pirates. Will still fought to get away. She paused at the edge, looking at Will.  
  
"I'm sorry," she whispered.  
  
"Too long," the dark sailor proclaimed, and stomped on the plank, shaking it. With a shriek, Elizabeth fell in. I screamed, and a sailor raised a hand over my mouth. I bit his fingers, and he howled. The other pirates laughed, and Jack pretended to until he was also pushed towards the plank.  
  
"I really had rather hoped we were past all this," he said to Barbossa. He laughed and put a hand around his shoulders.  
  
"Jack," he said merrily. "Jack! Did ye not notice? That be the same little island that we made you Governor of on our last little trip."  
  
Jack looked behind him at the little spit of land, then turned back. "I did notice."  
  
"Then perhaps you'll be able to conjure up another miraculous escape. But I doubt it." He unsheathed his sword and brandished it at Jack's throat, who eyed it carefully. "Off you go." Jack slowly began to walk, then turned around.  
  
"Last time you left me a pistol with one shot," he stalled.  
  
"By the powers, you're right," Barbossa replied, then turned to the crew. "Where be Jack's pistol? Bring it forward." A man passed it forward to Barbossa, who held it in his claws.  
  
"Seeing as there's two of us," Jack tried again. "A gentleman would give us a pair of pistols."  
  
"It'll be one pistol as before and you can be the gentleman and shoot the lady and starve to death yourself," Barbossa proclaimed and threw the pistol into the sea. Jack stared at it sinking in the water, and without looking back, dove in after it. The crew laughed even harder. Barbossa raised a hand.  
  
"Take our Turners to the brig," he ordered. "Lock up the crew in a different cell. We're heading to Isla de Muerta, to freedom!" There were cheers as we were shoved below.  
  
I couldn't stop crying. 


	14. Chapter 14

Chapter 14  
  
"Waaaaaaaaaaaaak, shiver me timbers."  
  
"Cotton 'ere says ye missed a spot."  
  
One of the pirates, Pintel, hit the bars with his dirty mop, splattering water over the crew. Opposite of them, also in a cell, were me and Will. I sat with my feet touching each other and extended, across the cell from my brother, and Will just leaned against the bars, watching Pintel and Ragetti (the one with two different eyes) mop the floor.  
  
"You knew William Turner?" he asked softly. Pintel stopped mopping, and I raised my head.  
  
"Ol' Bootstrap Bill .we knew him," he snarled. "Never sat well with Bootstrap what we did to Jack Sparrow, the mutiny and all. He said it wasn't right with the code, that's why he sent off a piece of the treasure to you as it were. He said we deserved to be cursed. and remain cursed." He spat out the last part.  
  
"Stupid blighter," Ragetti muttered.  
  
"Good man," Gibbs corrected from the other cell.  
  
"But as you can imagine, that didn't sit too well with the Captain," Pintel continued.  
  
"That didn't sit too well with the Captain at all," Ragetti repeated gleefully. He poked Pintel in the back. "Tell him what Barbossa did."  
  
"I'm tellin' the story!" Pintel yelled, and Ragetti backed off. I stood up slowly, watching how Will was patiently waiting to hear the rest. It was all his fault that we were here, but I know he didn't mean it. Will may be a bit flighty and not think all the time, but his heart's in the right place and he cares a lot. I walked up quietly behind him. "So," Pintel continued. "What the Captain did, he strapped a cannon to Bootstraps' bootstraps."  
  
"Bootstraps' bootstraps," Ragetti repeated softly to himself.  
  
"The last we saw of ol' Bill Turner," he finished. "He was sinking to the crushing black oblivion of Davy Jones' Locker." Will rested his forehead against the bars, his eyes closed. I placed a hand on his back and rested my cheek on his left shoulder blade. He relaxed at my touch. Pintel shrugged. "'Course, it was only after that we learned we needed his blood to lift the curse."  
  
"That's what you'd call ironic," Ragetti piped up. Will shifted his eyes, and the pirates jumped. There stood Barbossa, the black man called Bo'sun, and three others. Barbossa roughly threw the keys at Pintel's face.  
  
"Bring 'em."  
  
Pintel grabbed Will roughly and shoved him over to Ragetti, who bound his hands and shoved him topside. Pintel held my arms for a moment. "What say? A little kiss before you go?"  
  
SLAP!  
  
"I guess that means no," Ragetti commented as I was thrown over to him. He tied my wrists so tight I lost all feeling and shoved me up the stairs. It was a cloudy night, the moon completely covered. The pirates laughed as they spun me down the chain until I reached the rail, where they shoved me overboard and into a longboat. I screamed the whole way down. Will crawled over beside me.  
  
"Be strong," he whispered, grasping my hands. He pulled himself up behind me so we sat back-to-back. About five longboats were loaded with pirates, and they rowed us into the caves. The only sounds were the oars hitting the water. I was alone with my thoughts.  
  
'Jack, Elizabeth,' I thought. 'I hope you get off the island alive. I'll be praying for you. Just don't do anything incredibly stupid.'  
  
~*~*~*~*~*~*~*  
  
Bright torches hurt my eyes as we docked, and Ragetti grabbed my wrists by the rope and shoved me out. I hit the hard rocks, scraping my arm. He merely grinned and hauled me on my feet again. Pintel walked beside us with Will.  
  
"No reason to fret," Pintel said, making conversation. "It's just a prick of the finger and a few drops of blood."  
  
"No mistakes this time," a man named Twigg said as he brushed past us. "We spill all their blood. They're only half-Turners."  
  
"I guess there is reason to fret then," Pintel said.  
  
We were shoved atop a pile of gold coins and assorted items. They made us stand, bent over a strange chest with what appeared to be heathen men etched into it. Barbossa kicked off the lid, and I turned my head away. Inside, there were hundreds of old coins, worn and the symbols starting to fade. Will stared in amazement. Barbossa grabbed my hand and thrust it high into the air. The pirates cheered.  
  
"Ho ho ho ho ho ho ho ho." they chanted, the flames from their torches burning brighter than ever. I was scared stiff, trying not to start shaking. Barbossa bent me back over, and pressed a knife near my throat, ready to slit it. Tears dropped down my cheeks and into the chest, were the coins sucked them up immediately.  
  
"Begun by blood," Barbossa hollered, and the pirates silenced. "By blood un- " He stopped, obviously puzzled. I dared to raise my head up. There was Jack, making his way to Barbossa. I never felt more relieved. I tried not to break down altogether. He was going to save us.  
  
"Jack!" I whispered.  
  
"'S'not possible," Barbossa muttered.  
  
"Not probable," he corrected. Bo'sun put a hand on his shoulder to stop him from going any closer.  
  
"Where's Elizabeth?" Will asked hurriedly.  
  
"She's safe, just like I promised," he reassured. "She's all set to marry Norrington, just like she promised. And you get to die for her, just like you promised. So we're all men of our word really." He paused. "Except for Elizabeth who is, in fact, a woman."  
  
"Shut up!" Barbossa yelled. "Yer next." He shoved me over again, the knife posed.  
  
"You don't want to be doing that, mate," Jack interrupted again.  
  
Barbossa looked up again. "No, I really think I do," he spat.  
  
Jack shrugged and clasped his hands in front of himself. "Your funeral."  
  
Barbossa didn't move the knife, and after a moment he rolled his eyes and straightened up again. "Why don't I want to be doing it?" he asked scathingly.  
  
"Well, because-" he slapped away Bo'sun's hand still clasped on his shoulder. "-because the HMS Dauntless, pride of the Royal Navy, is floating just offshore." He paused, letting them taste the suspense. "Waiting for you." The pirates starting muttering amongst themselves, and Jack hiked up the small mountain of gold to the top, where he stood beside Will, who struggled to stand upright. I already was. I stared at him hard, wondering what the hell he was thinking. He met my eyes briefly.  
  
And I knew.  
  
He turned back to Barbossa, who was still reluctant. "Just hear me out, mate. You order your men to row out to the Dauntless; they do what they do best." The pirates murmured amongst themselves, agreeing. "Robert's your uncle, Fannie's your aunt, there you are with two ships. The makings of your very own fleet. 'Course you'll take the grandest as your flagship and who's to argue? But what of the Pearl? Name me Captain. I'll sail under your command, I'll give you ten percent of me plunder, and you get to introduce yourself as.Commodore Barbossa. Savvy?" It sounded irresistible, even to me. Barbossa considered it for a moment. "And I s'pose in exchange you want me not to kill the whelps," he said, returning the knife back to my throat. I struggled to breath in slowly.  
  
Jack shook his head. "Nah. By all means, kill the whelps," he drawled. Will looked at him with the same look on my face moments ago. "Just not yet. Wait to lift the curse. until the opportune moment. For instance-" he picked up a few medallions from the chest "-after you've killed Norrington's men.-" he threw them back as he spoke "-every. last. one." I watched his hands, as did Will. There was a glimmer of gold, and then it was slipped away.  
  
"You've been planning this from the beginning," I said in a low, dangerous voice. "Ever since you learned our names!"  
  
He thought for a moment. "Yeah."  
  
"You dirty bastard-" I lunged for him, and Barbossa pulled me back by the ropes. Jack simply stared at me with blank eyes, then turned to Barbossa, who looked a little suspicious.  
  
"I want fifty percent of yer plunder."  
  
"Fifteen."  
  
"Forty."  
  
"Twenty-five." He pointed. "I'll get you the hat. A really nice, big one.Commodore."  
  
Barbossa held out his hand. "We have an accord." They shook on it, and turned to the crew, who had been waiting.  
  
"All hands to the boats!" Jack proclaimed loudly, to silence. Barbossa gave him a disgusted look. Jack realized his mistake immediately. "Apologies. You give the orders."  
  
"Gents," he proclaimed, grinning broadly. "Take a walk." There were satisfied murmurs, and it got slightly dimmer as those with torches left. Jack placed two fingers to his lips.  
  
"Not to the boats?" he questioned.  
  
Barbossa simply grinned at him.  
  
A/N: Wheeeeeeeeeeeeeeeee, I'm almost done. Yes for me! 


	15. Chapter 15

Chapter 15  
  
Everyone had gone. Everyone, that is, except Will, me, Jack, Barbossa, and three other clueless pirates. Two watched Will and I, and the other skipped stones in a puddle of water, completely concentrated. Barbossa grinned at Jack, sitting beside a mound of coins, watching him look thru assorted gold items. "I must admit, Jack, I thought I had ye figured," he said jovially. "It turns out that you're a hard man to predict." "Me? I'm dishonest," he replied truthfully. "And a dishonest man you can always trust to be dishonest... Honestly." I smiled. He slowly walked up behind the pirate throwing stones, talking slowly. "It's the honest ones you want to watch out for, because you can never predict when they're going to do something incredibly.STUPID." He grabbed the sword from the pirate's belt, kicked him in, and thrust the sword into Will's hands. The pirate behind Will grabbed his sword, but Will knocked it away from behind. My pirate shoved me onto the mound of gold before unsheathing his sword. Will had cut the ropes from his wrists, and was suddenly busy fighting three pirates at once. Jack and Barbossa were going at it like mad men. "You're off the edge of the map, mate," Barbossa sneered. "Here there be monsters." That didn't stop my Jack from attempting to slash him. I barely noticed the moonbeams streaming in from holes in the ceiling. Nor did I notice the pirates that stepped into it turning into living skeletons. I crawled up the pile of coins, searching for something sharp to cut the ropes. An abandoned sword with a gold hilt was buried deep in the coins, thank the stars above for that. I impatiently sawed the thick rope, rubbing my hands to retain feeling. I looked up to Will; he was backed against a corner, fighting for his life. With an angry growl in my throat, I snatched up the sword and a huge gold urn, sprinting over to my brother, where the pirates had their hands full. I thrust the urn over the head of the nearest pirate, slammed my sword against it, and kicked him into the water. He didn't even know what hit him. Another pirate, hollering in rage at me, charged with his sword in the air. I did the best attack move and ran away. As expected, he chased me. Good. Now Will only had to deal with one.  
  
Jack and Barbossa were still going at it, slowly stepping up a steep embankment. Barbossa threw down his sword and raised his hands in the air. "You can't beat me, Jack," he said logically. Jack impaled him with a good hard thrust. Barbossa sighed and rolled his eyes. And in a move so quick I barely understood it, he ripped out the sword and stabbed it thru my Jack.  
  
He took a deep gasp of air, choking and making small gurgling noises. I had no idea where my pirate was. I stood stock still, trying not to scream and trying not to pass out. Jack staggered backwards a few paces, and into a stream of moonlight.  
  
And before my eyes, turned into a skeleton.  
  
He raised his bony hands into the air, studying them curiously. "That's interesting," he murmured. There was a revered silence as Will stared as well. Tiny bits of dust floated gently about the air, adding a strange, tired effect to it. Jack raised his other hand, and the gold coin flickered between his fingers. He grinned cheekily. "I couldn't resist, mate," he said. With a yell of disgust, Barbossa grabbed his sword and charged again. Jack withdrew his own and the fighting continued.  
  
I turned away and came face to face with my pirate. Before I could even raise my sword, he slashed me across the stomach, from one side to the other. I screamed.  
  
"MEG!" Will cried, hearing my scream (as if he couldn't). I crumbled to my knees, the blood spurting from the slashed cloth. My hands were dripping. The pirate leered at me, and raised his sword for the final blow. I knocked it away, my sword still clutched in my grip. I took a deep breath and leapt up slowly, charging at him. I kept one arm across the wound, my rage boiling within.  
  
If I had to die, I wouldn't die without a fight.  
  
Jack had Barbossa corned on a mound of gold, directly beneath a beam of light. "So what now, Jack Sparrow?" Barbossa sneered. "Will it be it two immortals locked in an epic battle until Judgment Day and trumpets sound?"  
  
"Or you could surrender," he suggested. With an 'arrrrrrrrr' Barbossa leapt up again, swishing and attempting to stab. Jack ripped up his hat, still perched on his head. "Aha!" he cried triumphantly. Barbossa just got more pissed.  
  
Meanwhile, Will was in a sticky situation. His sword was knocked out of his hand, and he was on his back. The pirate raised his sword in the air. "I'm gonna teach you the meanin' of pain," he snarled.  
  
"You like pain?" a familiar voice snapped, and the pirate turned around. Elizabeth swung a gold-and-jewel incrusted staff, knocking the pirate to the ground. "Try wearing a corset," she said coldly. She handed one end to Will, who grabbed his sword and stood beside her. They watched Jack and Barbossa, still fighting like hell. "Who's side is Jack on?" Elizabeth asked, clearly puzzled and frustrated.  
  
Will shrugged. "At the moment?" he asked.  
  
"Hello! Injured!" I yelled, catching their attention. Elizabeth clutched her staff tighter, and she and Will charged. She somehow stabbed them all in a row on the staff, and the two at the ends struggled to get out. Will snatched a bomb from one in the middle, lit it, stuck it back in his chest, and the two shoved them into the shadows. The pirate fumbled with his clothing, trying to get the bomb out. He looked up, despair written across his dirty, grimy face.  
  
"No fair," he whined. Elizabeth grabbed my arm and hoisted me up, hobbling with me across the stepping stones. Jack placed the coin in his hand, sliced his sword across his palm, and tossed it to Will. Will tossed ours to me, and I wiped it across my stomach, cringing, and tossed it back as he climbed up to the chest. Barbossa had seen what I did, and aimed his pistol at me and Elizabeth. I had never feared more for my life than in that moment. I clung to Elizabeth, who grabbed my elbow, and squeezed my eyes shut.  
  
There was the sound of a pistol firing, and I heard Elizabeth gasp quietly, felt her muscles go limp. I opened my eyes, terrified that he had shot my best friend. But there was no blood, no gunshot wound. Barbossa looked confused as well, and turned to Jack. His pistol was out, smoke wafting around his head from firing. Barbossa shook his head.  
  
"Ten years you carry that pistol and now you waste your shot," he mocked, grinning a wicked smile.  
  
"He didn't waste it," Will's voice said sharply. Barbossa turned, his face paling, and Will dropped the two final bloody coins in the chest. I noticed his palm was bleeding sluggishly. He had cut himself, just in case. Barbossa stared blankly in shock, then pulled his vest open. The perfect bullet-hole, which moments ago was an empty hole, was now spurting blood like a fountain. He raised his head to Jack, his expression fixed on shock. A small smile flickered.  
  
"I feel." he paused. "Old." He fell backward onto the coins, his eyes glazing over and staring blankly at nothing. The apple in his hands rolled from his hand and into the water.  
  
And that was that.  
  
Elizabeth lowered me down, trying to find some cloth to wrap around my wound, still gurgling blood. Jack knelt down beside me, and without a word, ripped off his shirt and proceeded to rip it into pathetic bandages. I bit thru my lip as Elizabeth tightened the cloth. I could barely breath. Jack kissed my forehead before waltzing off to gather some treasure. Elizabeth spaced out and walked away as Will came to me. "You sure you're all right?" he asked, obviously concerned.  
  
"Who said I was okay?" I gasped, struggling to sit up. He placed a hand beneath my neck. "Thanks much. God, this hurts."  
  
He shook his head. "I'm sorry. This is all my fault."  
  
I considered the sincereness of his words. "Yeah, probably." His head drooped. "But you've more than redeemed yourself. I'm truly proud of you." We both looked at Elizabeth, who's back was faced towards us. "Go tell her, Will." He didn't need to know what. He simply nodded, dropped my head, and walked slowly over to her. I groaned in frustration, banging my fists on the hard stone. Jack's face came into view above me, bed-decked in pearls and gold and diamonds. He grinned.  
  
"What's yer favorite, diamonds or sapphires?" he asked. "I figure diamonds might look nicer, what with yer dark hair and eyes and all."  
  
"Could I answer your question when I'm upright?" I snipped peevishly. He only grinned and held out a hand. I grasped it and rose slowly, trying to inflict as little pain as possible. He made me lean against a small replica of a gold ship. I tried to breathe as shallowly as I could and still breathe. We then proceeded to stagger over to the two lovebirds. Elizabeth was looking at Will with unspent tears. I had never seen someone look as miserable as she did at that moment.  
  
"We should return to the Dauntless," she said softly. Will nodded.  
  
"Your fiancé will be wanting to know your safe," he replied. I cringed. That kid's got to learn what to say when. Elizabeth turned away, tears spilling from her dark brown eyes. Jack sauntered up to Will.  
  
"If you were looking for the opportune moment." He pointed. "That was it." He thrust me over to my brother. "Now if you'll be so kind, I'd be much obliged if you'd drop me off my ship." I stared after him, feeling as though my heart was breaking. I swallowed my tears and allowed Will to carry me carefully to the boat Elizabeth had taken from the Black Pearl. She sat inside it, unmoving and silent. I could easily feel and understand her misery. I leaned against her, facing out to sea and Will. He struggled to paddle us out against the strong current and waves outside the cove. Jack stood up, rocking the boat as he scanned the water for his ship.  
  
I was first to express his thoughts. "It's not there." The only ship was the Dauntless. Jack was more than screwed. The only place he could go was to be hanged. Betrayed again. Elizabeth hid another sob.  
  
"Jack, I'm so sorry," she whispered earnestly.  
  
He was wearing the darkest look on his face. "They done what's right by them," he said in a low voice that had revealed defeat. "Can't expect more than that." 


	16. Chapter 16

Chapter 16  
  
"Jack Sparrow, be it known that you-"  
  
"Captain," I mumbled under my breath. An elderly lady in a feathery hat glanced at me sharply. I didn't care. The man I loved was to be hanged before my eyes in minutes. What did the opinion of some rumbled old hag matter to me? What did anything matter?  
  
".for your willful commission of crimes against the crown. Said crimes being numerous in quantity and sinister in nature. The most grievous of these to be cited herewith: piracy, smuggling."  
  
Jack stood silently, his eyes darker than ever in despair. Oh, how I wanted to hold him close just once more. Or more than that.  
  
A single tear slid down my face. Damn. I swore not to cry, and here I was, weeping. I shook my head, lowering my eyes to the floor.  
  
"Meg."  
  
I looked up quickly at the familiarity of the voice. Will. Standing before me in a cloak and fancy clothes and a hat with a feather big enough to make the elderly woman green with envy. She stomped away angrily to watch the hanging in a more quiet place. Will brushed the tear away with a fingertip.  
  
"It's not fair," I whispered sheepishly. He opened his arms and held me close, a true brother-sister moment. I smelled sweet sweat and leather - Will's smell. Oh, my Will. He held me an arm's length.  
  
"He won't die," he said firmly.  
  
"What?"  
  
".impersonating an officer of the Spanish Royal Navy, impersonating a cleric of the Church of England."  
  
"He won't die," he repeated. "I have a plan."  
  
"Will, no offense, but your plans always go wrong somewhere."  
  
"Not this time."  
  
".sailing under false colors, arson, kidnapping, looting, poaching, brigandage, pilfering, depravity, depredation and general lawlessness."  
  
"Certainly was a trouble-maker, wasn't he?" I said sorrowfully.  
  
"He certainly is." Will cleared his throat. "Meg.I came to say good-bye."  
  
"Huh? Where are you going?"  
  
"I'm going nowhere. But you are."  
  
"What?"  
  
"You know what you plan to do." He kissed the top of my head and hugged me tightly one last time. "Be brave, Meg. If you ever need to, get him to come back here. I'll be here. And so will Elizabeth." And with that, he turned to go.  
  
I didn't understand. "Will!" He turned, and then I understood. And also had nothing to say. "Um.nice hat." He laughed and vanished with a twirl of his cloak.  
  
"May God have mercy on your soul," the man finished.  
  
May He ever.  
  
I ran. I ran as fast I ever could. And understood clearer than ever. Will had understood. He understood that the Black Pearl had claimed me, heart and soul. The sea had claimed me. I couldn't stay and be miserable. I needed to satisfy the pirate within. I ran to the docks.  
  
And there she was. Just outside the harbor. Beautiful. The only word to describe her. I smelled the sharpness of the sea, and felt every grievance fly away. This is where I belong.  
  
"Meg! Meg!"  
  
Annamaria waved at me from a rowboat, with Mr. Gibbs sweating over the oars. I didn't hesitate, and dove into the clear, aquamarine water. I swam to the rowboat, and they hoisted me in. Annamaria smiled, his pearly white teeth glinting. I hugged her, and she embraced me back. I heard screams from the shore, from where I had been running from. I glanced up quickly.  
  
"Don't worry, Meg," Mr. Gibbs grumbled. "That's just William savin' the captain."  
  
So that's what he meant.I nodded. We rowed back to the Black Pearl, all of us listening intently to the sounds from shore. I barely even noticed we reached the ship until Annamaria tapped me on the shoulder and handed me the monkey ladder. I climbed up quickly, my wet skirts clinging to my legs. I tumbled to the deck, and an unnamed man helped me to my feet, smiling. I nodded mutely.  
  
"Alright, lads, to the harbor!" Gibbs bellowed, and he ushered me to the wheel as the sailors scurried about hoisting the anchor and hauling in the rowboat. He grinned. "Care to do the honors?" he asked, motioning at the wheel.  
  
"Oh, no," I said quickly. "I want to watch the water." He nodded in understanding and took the wheel in his firm grip. "Mr. Gibbs." He turned to me. "How.how did you know.?"  
  
He smiled. "A feeling. A feeling a pirate just can't ignore. Now shut up and watch the water." I grinned and turned to the wall just as a figure plummeted into the shallows. I screamed, unable to stop myself. Gibbs started bellowing as a dark head popped back up in the water, thrashing until he obviously saw the Pearl. He started swimming towards it. I looked up at the battlement where he had fallen, and spotted Will and Elizabeth in each other's arms. I sighed happily. My brother had finally found happiness.  
  
A roped was lowered into the water, and half a dozen men rushed the other direction. Jack was lifted into the air, sprinkling salt water like rain. He tumbled onto the deck, glancing up at the fellow pirates. Gibbs ran down to meet him, and simply grinned, his puffy cheeks pink.  
  
"I thought you were supposed to keep to the code," Jack mumbled, getting to his feet and rubbing his backside.  
  
"We figured they were more like guidelines, you know." Gibbs trailed off. Jack nodded to himself.  
  
"Captain Sparrow," Annamaria came up behind me, leaning against the wheel. His eyes lingered on me, and I smiled.  
  
"The Pearl is yours," I said softly. He walked up to the wheel, and I placed his heavy coat on his shoulders. He placed his hand son my waist, and leaned down. We kissed, long and hard, and I knew: this is where I belong. On the Pearl, in his arms. We pulled aprt, aware that the entire crew was watching us.  
  
"On deck you scabrous dogs!" he bellowed. "Man the braces!" Everyone exploded into action, and we were left alone on the deck. He looked down at me fondly. "Now bring me that horizon," he said fondly, and I placed my hands on the wheel. His hands covered mine, rough and smooth and strong. He started humming the song. "And really bad eggs." he murmured in my ear. I smiled.  
  
"Drink up, me hearties, yo ho!"  
  
A/N: END END END! And there's another story I'm starting, where Meg.well, you'll have to read it to find out! See ya! 


End file.
